Reviewing an Amaysim Phone

January 21, 2015
by Rodney Olsen
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6Plus

I’ve been a fan of mobile phone service provider Amaysim for years but I’ve got even more reason to recommend them now. Last month I won the opportunity to review a Gold iPhone 6 Plus for them with the added bonus that if I liked the phone, I could keep it.

If you’re looking for a cheaper plan for your mobile, head to Amaysim. If you want to know what I thought about the iPhone 6 Plus, keep reading.

iPhone 6 Plus Review

Living in the most isolated capital city in the world, Perth, Western Australia, you need ever advanced ways to stay connected. So what am I doing with a phone that was released in the middle of 2010? The iPhone 4 was a leader in its day but it’s time to move on.

I’m Rodney, and I’m checking out the iPhone 6 Plus. Will it handle constant Facebooking and Instagramming as well as my work needs? My job takes me to countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Indonesia so I need something that’ll manage a variety of conditions.

Hey good lookin’

Apple has moved design forward with new curved edges and smooth surfaces without losing that distinctive iPhone look. The Gold iPhone 6 Plus looks classier than ever. It’s also pretty tough. It’s not the fragile, bendable phone some would have you believe.

I did find it a little hard getting used to the power button being moved to the side of the phone. Grasping the phone to turn it on or off I’d end up adjusting the volume via the switches on the opposite side. It took a little while but I’ve got it sorted now.

Largest and thinnest ever

The iPhone 6 Plus is the iPhone at its largest … and thinnest. How’s that even possible? I’m at my largest and I’m certainly not thin. Thankfully the iPhone 6 Plus with iOS 8 has an app for that. The Health app counts my steps each day and integrates with other health and exercise apps. I’ve linked it with my Strava cycling app. It’s also tracking my weight but it can do so much more. I won’t be getting as thin as the 7.1 mm 6 Plus but I’m hoping the Health app will point me in the right direction.

Speaking of apps, there are well over a million at the Apple Store. Sadly, I won’t have time to review them all here but you can be sure there’s an app for almost everything.

Apps load and respond incredibly quickly with iOS 8. My old 4 struggled at times, especially on apps like Facebook, but that’s all history now. Facebook loads almost instantly and navigating or uploading within the app is smooth and fast.

How large is too large?

The first thing people ask about the iPhone 6 Plus is its size. The way some people carry on you’d be forgiven for thinking the iPhone 6 Plus is the size of a small nation. Of course, it’s not. Maybe the size of a mid-range city.

To be honest, if I had the choice of an iPhone 6 or the 5.5 inch screen of an iPhone 6 Plus, I would have gone for the iPhone 6. I’d heard the hype about the Plus being too big, but within a couple of days I was convinced the naysayers had it wrong. You won’t prize the iPhone 6 Plus out of my man-sized hands anytime soon. Sure, it won’t suit everyone but it’s just right for me.

The bigger Retina HD display is remarkably sharp and perfect for images, but it’s also a great size for reading. Thanks to apps like iBooks and Kindle, my entire library is now in the palm of my hand. No more getting bored in airports or on planes.

I often deliver presentations to a range of audiences so having a device larger than my old iPhone 4 yet not as cumbersome on stage as my iPad for my notes is super helpful. Add to that the fact that our office database is switching to a mobile system and I wouldn’t want anything smaller than the Plus.

iPhone6PlusRodneyiSight Camera

The feature I really wanted to play with, I mean review, was the new camera with its enhanced video function. I wasn’t disappointed.

The iSight Camera has a list of highly advanced features like Optical Image Stabilisation, True Tone flash, Auto HDR and many others. But what do they all mean? Quite simply, better photos. A lot of quality cameras will now find themselves sitting at home with nothing to do.

Whether it’s a quick point and shoot with the improved auto focus or getting a little bit fancier with the myriad of manual adjustments you can now make, you’ll end up with stunning images. Even the front facing camera is improved meaning better FaceTime or (dare I say it?) selfies.

Videoing hasn’t missed out on the make-over either. As well as 1080p HD video recording there’s Slo-Mo video that provides stunning results.

Battery life

Perhaps one of the best new features is the extraordinary battery life of the iPhone 6 Plus. If you’ve ever watched your phone power drain away right when you’ve needed it most, you’ll love the iPhone 6 Plus. I used to run out of power towards the end of a busy day but now I can sometimes go a couple of days without recharging.

I’m keeping the iPhone 6 Plus

As I mentioned, this isn’t a phone for everyone, but it’s definitely the phone for me. As with all things Apple, it just works as it’s meant to work. It has far too many features to highlight in one review.

If you work ‘on the road’ and need something that will keep you connected, I’d certainly recommend the iPhone 6 Plus.

It might be a little pricey if you think of it as only a phone but as a mobile office with lots of features for after work, it’s a worthwhile investment.



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Next Please

February 25, 2014
by Rodney Olsen
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pepsi

(This post is part of “Product Talk by Nuffnang”. Views are my own.)

For many, Saturday’s a sleep in day, but when your bike is calling you need to get up early and hit the road. I don’t get as much chance to get out on my bike as I used to but I still love cycling whenever I can. Saturday is still one day that I can generally catch up with cycling friends and remind myself why I love turning the pedals.

Last Saturday was a warm one. We may be most of the way through summer but there are still some hot days on the way. I headed out early and caught up with a few others. We cycled to South Perth for coffee and some good conversation before heading back home. I was happy to have stretched my legs and clocked up just over 60 kilometres. By the time I pulled in to my driveway the mercury had started to soar.

When I got home I opened the fridge looking for something cold that wasn’t going to undo all the work I’d just put in on the bike. I didn’t want to guzzle a can of sugar and I certainly didn’t want to overload on chemical sweeteners. Thankfully the kind people at Pepsi had sent me some cans of Pepsi Next. It has naturally less sugar than regular colas and is sweetened naturally using Stevia. So while drinking too much of any carbonated drink isn’t good for you, it’s great to have an alternative that’s relatively better for you.

I don’t drink a lot of soft drink but I know that having a naturally better alternative means that on those occasions that I need to quench a thirst with something that tastes great my choice will be Pepsi Next … naturally.

I was interested to see that Pepsi thinks that Pepsi Next tastes so good that they’ve been inviting people from around Australia to take part in a blind taste test of Pepsi Next and full sugar Coca Cola to see which taste they prefer. Their confidence seems to be paying off with more people choosing the taste of Pepsi Next.

What is the difference between Pepsi Next and Pepsi Max?

Pepsi Next is a lower kilojoule/calorie cola drink sweetened naturally with stevia to deliver 30% less sugar. Pepsi Max contains no sugar and is sweetened with high intensity sweeteners – Aspartame and Acesulfame Potassium

Does this mean 30% less kilojoules/calories?

Yes. Pepsi Next contains 30% less sugar than regular Pepsi.

As an ingredient in food and beverages, stevia adds no kilojoules/calories. It helps reduce energy in food and beverages by replacing caloric sweet ingredients such as sugar.

How many kilojoules/calories is 30% less sugar?

Regular Pepsi has an energy content of 175kJ (42 calories) per 100ml. Pepsi Next has an energy content of 119kJ (28 calories) per 100ml. Nutritional information is clearly labelled on all our products.



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Cavalia Shines in the West

January 9, 2014
by Rodney Olsen
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Cavalia

There’s something inspiring about watching people who are passionate about what they’re doing. Watching Cavalia is all kinds of inspiring. The two and four legged performers fill the stage with joyous celebration and they are masters of drawing the audience into their magical world.

The show has visited 60 cities in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Europe and Australia. Around 4 million people have been thrilled by the performance around the world. It’s an innovative multi-media production created by Normand Latourelle, one of the co-founders of Circe du Soleil.
VIT

If you want to see Cavalia in Perth there are shows until the 26th of January under the big white top at Belmont Racecourse.

I had the honour of being invited to a VIP Social Media Night last night. I took my son James and together we got the full VIP treatment with a delicious meal and drinks before the show and a guided stable tour after the show.

While the pre-show and post-show were wonderful, it was the performance itself we were there to see and it didn’t disappoint.

Before the curtain went up we had a quick chat to Ms Mystery Case and her husband who were seated next to us. If you want to see some better photos of the night than I was able to capture on my iPhone 4 you can read her review of the night.

James and I settled in among the other social media invitees, ready to take some snaps to post to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. From start to finish there was plenty to photograph. Whether it was the mind bending acrobatics performed by some of the 36 human performers or the graceful beauty of the 43 magnificent horses, there was always something mesmerising happening on stage.

The connection between human and horse was a highlight. From incredibly subtle and gentle moves to thundering past us at speed, the horses were captivating.

The live music added another thrilling dimension to the show. Sometimes quietly setting the scene with an understated soundtrack to the visual feast, sometimes driving the show forward with boldness and force, the music guided us throughout the performance.

There’s so much more I could say about the show but words will never fully describe the experience or prepare you for the masterpiece that is Cavalia. If you get the opportunity, get yourself to one of their shows and experience it for yourself.



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I’ve Been Framed

May 25, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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SneakingDuck

When I reached that certain age when eyes just don’t do what they always did I was disappointed, but little did I realise it would just be an opportunity to indulge in some great ‘face fashion’.

After my recent eye test I needed to order new glasses so I headed straight to the Sneaking Duck website. I had my eye on a pair of Due Diligence frames for a while and finally, with prescription in hand, I could make my order. Not many days later my new glasses arrived …. along with a small duck. (Click the photo above for a closer look.)

Fashion’s a funny thing (not that I’m an expert on fashion by any stretch of the imagination) because we like to be seen wearing the current look, without wearing exactly the same as everyone else. That’s where Sneaking Duck wins every time. Their designs are definitely fashionable but not mass produced, so you’re not likely to turn up somewhere wearing the same frames as every other person in the room.

We love cool frames and we love having a pair for every mood. We’re tired of having one mega-expensive pair we wear until they break. In just a few clicks, Sneaking Duck allows you to build a wardrobe of frames to match every outfit.

Sneaking Duck was founded by Mike, Michael, Mark and Jodie.

Mike, Michael and Jodie wear glasses pretty much all the time, and they have a pair of frames for every look. In their business travels they’d ritualistically dedicate time to buying new frames – designs were exciting, prices were great and it made them the coolest nerds in the lab.

I think I might have to look at some prescription sunnies next time.



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How can you help Girls off the Streets?

October 25, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
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I wrote recently about my involvement with Girls Off the Streets. As I said then, I’ll be traveling to Bangladesh and India to see the work SIMaid does to stop trafficking and sex slavery while transforming the lives of young girls rescued. My role will be as a storyteller, communicating the need online, on radio and to churches back here in Australia.

If you want to find out more about how to help the millions of girls, many quite young, who are raped each day to make money for others, there are a couple of events you can attend.

Firstly, you can be at Thornlie Church of Christ in Spencer Road at 6:30 this Sunday evening when, together with SIMaid Education and Development Officer Kieran Johnson, I’ll be talking about our upcoming trip.

The other event is on Saturday evening the 10th of November where you can hear Omar Djoeandy, SIM Australia Executive Director, and catch up with Kieran and me. That evening begins at 7:00 at St Matthew’s Anglican Church in Shenton Park. Details are in the poster above. Click on the image for a closer look.



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